Resilient sheet holder for railway cars



Dec. 31, 1929. D. A. COOPER v RESI LIENT SHEET HOLDER FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed July 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet N N w. b

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NA. ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 31, 1929 STATES Davin A. ooornn,

or DAYTON, OHIO RESILIENT SHEET HOLDER FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in resilient sheet-holders for railway cars.

t is the principal object of my invention to provide in a railway car, resilient holders that are easily set up to receive between them sheets of steel or other heavy material to maintain them in place during the sudden stopping or starting of the car.

These holders are simple in construction and may be quickly set up within a car to protect it from injury due to the tendency of heavy sheets to move endwise within it when the car is suddenly started or stopped.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following application and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of my sheet-holding unit on the floor of a freight car. Figure 2 is a side View thereof, showing steel sheets between the spring holders. Figure 3 is an end view of the hold ing unit. Figure 4 is an end View of the front holder. Figure 5 is a side View of the same. And Figure 6 is a top plan View thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of my invention, the numerals 1, 1 designate two parallel base members for mounting upon the bottom 2 of a freight car in the direction of its length. Secured upon the base members 1, 1 at the front ends thereof is a transverse end mem ber 3.

Upon these base members 1, 1 between the rear ends thereof and opposite points near their front ends, there is secured a pair of fiat members 4, 4 which cross each other at their middle portions. (See Figures 1 and 2.) A transverse member 5 is secured upon the front ends of the members 4, 4 and a transverse member 6 upon their rear ends.

Free to be mounted in a vertical position upon the front transverse member 5 is a spring holder constructed as follows The numeral 7 designates a row of upright channel irons opposite which there is a row of similar channel irons 8. The channel irons 1927. Serial No. 204,778.

of each group are connected by horizontal back'plates 9, 10 and 11, so that the channel irons 7 on one side are free to move between the channel irons 8 on the other side. To direct such a movement, guiding bolts 12, 12 project through holes in the top plates 9, while similar guiding bolts 13, 13 project through holes in the bottom plates 11, 11. (See Figures 5 and 6.)

Secured to the middle portion of each channel iron is a concaved clip 14 to which there is secured the middle portion of a fiat spring 15. The ends of each spring which is thus secured within a respective channel iron, are curved as shown in Figure 5 for sliding engagement with the top and bottom plates 9 and 11 connecting the channel irons on the opposite side, when the channel irons on one side are moved toward those on the other side. These springs thus form strong, resilient buffers between these two groups of connected channel irons.

For the purpose of anchoring the spring sheet-holder just described in a vertical position upon the transverse member 5, the latter is formed with a series of holes 16, each one of which is adapted to receive a hook 17 riveted to the rear horizontal back plate 11. There are four of these books, equally spaced apart, as shown in Figure 4, although a greater or a less number may be provided if desired. The sheet holder is thus easily secured upon the transverse supporting memher 5 by inserting the hooks 17 in the holes 16 of it.

Projecting from the back plate 10 are horizontal flanges or lips 18 which are adapted to be engaged by the upper end of brace rods 19 whose rear ends are formed with projections 20 for entrance into slots 21 formed in the end member 3. By these rods 19 the sheet holder is firmly braced from the rear. From one side it is braced by a rod 21" secured its lower end to the floor 2 and terminating at its upper end in a reduced horizontal projection 23 for entrance in a hole 24 in a flat member 25 secured to an end channel iron 7. 7

Free to be mounted upon the transverse member 6 at the rear of the supporting frame is a spring holder 25 composed of channel irons 26 and 27 similar to the channel irons 7 and 8 and connected by similar back plates 28 and 29. Flat springs 31 are secured within these channel irons 26 and 27 by concave clips 32 similar to the clips 14.

For the purpose of anchoring the holder 25 to the rear end of the car, there are formed on the top back plate 28 two upright projections 34, 34 and a side projection 35. The lower back plate 29 has a portion 36 which projects beyond the side of the holder. Each one of these projections 34, 35 and 36 is formed with a hole to receive a lag screw 37. By means of these lag screws 37 the holder 25 is firmly secured to the rear end of the car to prevent side sway. Holes 38 are provided in the members 1 and 4 to receive lag screws (not shown) to secure the 'loor frame firmly to the floor.

When the front and rear sheet holders are set up, as described, upon the floor frame within the car, sheets of steel or other heavy material are laid between them upon said "rame, as shown in Figure 2. These holders will then resiliently resist any endwise movement of the sheets when the car is suddenly started or stopped.

I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, and any changes or modifications may be made therein within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A railway-car sheet-holder comprising two sets of oppositely-disposed channel members, the channel members of one set movable toward and between the channel members of the other set, guiding means for the movable channel members, fiat springs connected to the inside middle portions of the channel members of one set, and plates connected to the channel members of the other set for engagement by the ends of said springs, for the purpose specified.

2. A railway-car sheet-holder comprising two sets of oppositely-disposed channel members, transverse back pieces connecting said channel members and formed with oppositely-disposed holes, guide rods passing through said holes, and flat springs connected to the inside middle portions of the channel members of one set, with their ends in sliding engagement with the back pieces of the channel members of the other set.

3. A sheet holding device for railway-cars comprising a floor frame including afront and a rear transverse supporting member, an upright holder mounted upon each one of said members, each holder comprising two separated holding frames, the inner frame free to move toward the outer one, each frame comprising a plurality of inwardly turned angle irons, back plates connecting the angle irons of each frame, and flat springs connected to 

